Apparatus for making an envelope and product thereof

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for applying to the back of an envelope a secondary gum pattern for contact by the flap gum, the gum pattern being free of beads or the like.

United States Patent [191 Hewitt APPARATUS FOR MAKING AN ENVELOPE AND PRODUCT THEREOF [75] Inventor: Edward G. Hewitt, Auburn, Mass.

[73] Assignee: New England Envelope Manufacturing Co., Worcester, Mass.

22 Filed: Jan. 2, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 429,532

[52] U.S. Cl 93/61 R; 93/36 MM; 93/62;

93/93 R; 118/248 [51] Int. Cl. B31B 1/62; B31B 1/90 [58] Field of Search 93/61 R, 61 A, 62, 63 R,

93/74, 36 MM, 93 R; 118/211, 212, 244, 248, 249, 261, 262

[451 Sept. 23, 1975 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,974,256 9/1934 Bergstein 118/261 X 1,998,701 4/1935 Berkowitz... 93/61 A X 2,072,875 3/1937 Gray 93/61 A 3,468,227 9/1969 Volks et a1 93/36 MM X Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan Attorney, Agent, or FirmN0rman S. Blodgett; Gerry A. Blodgett [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for applying to the back of an envelope at secondary gum pattern for contact by the flap gum, the gum pattern being free of beads or the like.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures //7Z77 Am I I I I I I I 1 I APPARATUS FOR MAKING AN ENVELOPE AND PRODUCT THEREOF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common practice to seal-envelopesby making use of a remoistenable adhesive or gum on a flap which adheres to the back. In the case of an envelope containing an irregular object, however, when the flap gum is moistened and the flap is pressed down, the object tends to lift the flap away from the sealed position a similar layer 'of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back ofthe envelope where the flap is tocontact it. In

order to operate properly, however, both patterns of adhesive must be pressure sensitive which means that it is difficult to use such an envelope automatic filling and sealing equipment. Such pressure-sensitive gums are also very expensive, i.e., eight times as expensive as ordinary gums. Attempts in the past to provide an added layer of remoistenable (non-pressure sensitive) adhesive on the envelope itself in order to assure the sealing of the flap have been less than successful, mainly because the application of the gum is accompanied by the deposit of beads of gum around the periphery of the pattern. These beads do not dry readily and, therefore, cause the sticking of one envelope to another when the envelopes are stacked and packed. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in anovel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide an apparatus for making an envelope, whereby a secondary gum application is provided without beads. v l

Another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus for making an envelope having primary and secondary gum patterns, wherein the secondary gum pattern is substantially thinner than the primary flap pattern.

. A further object of the present invention is the provisionof an apparatus for providing an envelope with a secondary gum application, which application dries fast enough for the envelope to be immediately stacked.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an envelope in which irregular objects can be enclosed with substantially complete sealing of the flap and results in a more permanent and secure seal, even when used with conventionally shaped inserts.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an envelope for containing irregular objects, wherein the flap is provided with an inexpensive gum and, nevertheless, does not lift from the back of the envelope after an initial pressing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an envelope having dual gum patterns, which envelope can be filled and sealed in automatic machinary without difficulty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general the invention consists of an apparatus for making an envelope which apparatus has means for picker is provided having a pattern to which the layer of gum is transferred. A roller contactingrthe pattern occasionally receives the layer of gum therefrom and transfers it to the back of the envelope. The width of the roller is substantially greater than that of the pat-- tern, so that any bead of gum is transferred from the pattern to the roller, is deposited on an intermediate portion of the roller, and is crushed by contactof the roller with the surface of theenvelope, Means for stacking the envelope immediately after it receives the layer of gum is provided. t

More specifically, the invention consists of an enve-' lope with a flap having aprimary layer of remoistenable gum with a thickness in the order of 0.0008 inches, and aback with a secondary layer of remoistenable gum located for contact with the gum on the flap when the flap is closed. The secondary layer has a thickness of around 0.0002 inches and is substantially free of beads of gum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The character of the invention, however,'may bebest understood by reference to one of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an envelope embodying the principles of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of an envelope making machine for producing the envelope, and

FIG. 3'is a view of the machine taken along the line IlIIII of FIG.2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring'first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the envelope, indicated generally by reference numeral 10, is shown as having a main" body 11 ,to which is attached a flap 12 for hinged attachment about a fold line 13. A front panel 14 is connected to a back panel 15 along a bottom fold 'line 16 and glued to side panels 17 and 18.

Locatedon the flap 12 is a primary gum pattern 19,

'while a similar secondary gum panel pattern 21 is "10- cated on the surface of the back panell5. The lastnamed pattern is of a size and is located in such a manner as to be contacted by the primary gum pattern 19 when the panel 12 is folded down against the back panel 15 during use.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, which show the apparatus for producing the envelope 10, it can be seen that a gum tray 22 carries a supply of gum 23 which is carried out of the tray by a roller 24. This roller engages another roller 25 which, in turn, engages a roller 26. Overlying the roller 26 is a roller 27 whose position over the roller 26 is such as to regulate the space between them and, in turn, regulate the amount of the thickness of the layer of gum which covers the roller 26 as it moves away from the roller 27. This layer is selected in the preferred embodiment to be quite thin relative to ordinary flap gum and would be in the order of 0.0002 inches. On occasion the roller 26 is contacted by the pattern 28 located on the surface of a thicker roll 29. This pattern passes a shaped layer of gum onto the surface of a bottom roller 31 which is located to contact and press against the surface 'of an envelope 32 similar to the envelope which is carried under the roll by a conveyor 33. After the envelope passes under the roller 31 and is provided with its secondary gum pattern, it is thrown into a container 34 where a stack 35 of envelopes accumulates. In FIG. 3 the gum pattern 28 is shown located on the roller 31 just before it is to be passed on to the envelope 32. In FIG. 3 it is evident that the pattern 28 on the roll 29 is narrower than the roll 31. When beads are formed on the pattern 28 they are located on an intermediate portion of the roll 31 and, therefore, when the roll presses the pattern 28' against the envelope 32, the beads are pressed sideways and the material in them is spread out very thinly so that they quickly dry along with the rest of the gum pattern 21 on the envelope.

The operation of the apparatus and the use of the envelope will now be readily understood in view of the above description. In using the envelope the material, which may be of a bulky or non-flat nature, is inserted in the envelope. The primary gum pattern 19 on the flap 12 is wet with the tongue or a moistener and the flap is pressed downwardly over the back panel 15 of the main body of the envelope. The moisture in the primary pattern is absorbed and helps it to unite with the secondary gum pattern 21 on the back panel 15. After the user has pressed the flap downwardly, he usually runs his finger laterally across it. If a bulky object exists under the back panel 15, that is to say, in the interior of the envelope, there is likely to be a force produced by the object to cause the flap to move upwardly away from the back panel. 15 for a certain space and in the prior art, of course, this left a gap in the sealing of the flap to the envelope. In the present case, however, the bottom gum 21 has already received the moisture and stays moist so that, if the panel is repressed, a suitable connection is made. This manner of causing juncture of the flap to the back panel 15 of the envelope is known as cohesion" and it provides an instant tack of the elements of the envelope against one another. The apparatus shown in FIG. 2 operates in the well-known manner with envelope machines except that it should be noted that the secondary gum pattern 21 is applied to the envelope adjacent the end of the complete envelope machine. The envelope machine forms the envelope and does all the other operations down stream of the area shown in FIG. 2 and presents an envelope in substantially complete form at the end part of the envelope making machine and the envelope is immediately thrown into the stack 35. The nature of the present apparatus in providing a very thin layer of gum for the secondary gum pattern causes this particular gummed area to'dry very quickly. It is not necessary to provide the 0.0008 inch thickness that is necessary on the flap of the envelope.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is Y c. a roller contacting the pattern occasionally and re- I ceiving the layer of gum therefrom for transfer to the envelope on the back thereof, the width of the roller being substantially greater than that of pattern, so that any bead of gum is transferred from the pattern to the roller, is deposited on an intermediate portion of the roller and is crushed by contact of the roller with the surface of the envelope, and

(1. means for stacking the envelope immediately after it receives the said layer of gum.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the flap gum is applied with a thickness of around 0.0008 inches, while the back gum is applied with a thickness of around 0.0002 inches.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the envelope is carried under the roller and moved with the flap at one side and parallel to the line of motion to produce an elongated gum pattern on the back of the envelope in position to contact the flap gum when the flap is closed. 

1. Apparatus for modifying an envelope which is a product of a means for forming an envelope from a blank, including an applicator for applying a remoistenable gum to a flap and a drier for drying the adhesive, comprising: a. a gum applicator for generating a very thin layer of gum, b. a picker having a pattern to which the layer of gum is transferred, c. a roller contacting the pattern occasionally and receiving the layer of gum therefrom for transfer to the envelope on the back thereof, the width of the roller being substantially greater than that of pattern, so that any bead of gum is transferred from the pattern to the roller, is deposited on an intermediate portion of the roller and is crushed by contact of the roller with the surface of the envelope, and d. means for stacking the envelope immediately after it receives the said layer of gum.
 2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the flap gum is applied with a thickness of around 0.0008 inches, while the back gum is applied with a thickness of around 0.0002 inches.
 3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the envelope is carried under the roller and moved with the flap at one side and parallel to the line of motion to produce an elongated gum pattern on The back of the envelope in position to contact the flap gum when the flap is closed. 